Eat your way to great skin

Go for "smart"fats

14 Mar

Irrespective of the ever-increasing number of beauty products, the top complexion cures still come from the most natural and accessible quarters: the aisles of your supermarket and food markets. The saying “you are what you eat” keeps being reaffirmed as more studies find links between certain nutrients and wrinkle reduction, glowing skin, and acne prevention. Here are the tried and tested ways to eat your way to great skin:

1. Go for “smart” fats:

Omega 3 fatty acids are not only great for the heart and joint but the skin too. Recent studies on fish oil supplements {which are omega-3s from fish) show that they may help guard against sun damage. Studies also show that omega-3s can help keep skin cells healthy, preventing premature aging and more. Foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids include fish, walnuts, soybeans, and flax seeds.

2. Vitamin C for the win:

Vitamin C works as an antioxidant to protect skin and other cells from damage caused by free radicals in the environment and in the body. Vitamin C also helps create collagen, the body’s main structural protein. Foods rich in vitamin c include oranges, mangoes, tomatoes, red and green pepper, and pawpaws.

3. Whole foods:

Whole foods are foods eaten in their natural form. A tomato, for example, is a whole food, while ketchup is not. Researchers at Monash University in Australia concluded from a study that people who had a rich whole foods diet had less wrinkling and premature skin aging than those whose diets consisted of processed foods. The researchers believe this may have to do with the antioxidants, phytochemicals, and monounsaturated fats that a “whole foods” diet contributes. Whole foods vegetables, fruits, legumes, eggs, yogurt, nuts, oils rich in monounsaturated fats, multigrain bread, tea, and water.

4. Vitamin E:

Vitamin E benefits the skin as a conditioner. It is also commonly used to heal parched and dehydrated skin and is increasingly found in all pharmaceutically produced skin care products. Foods rich in vitamin E include nuts, spinach, and leafy green vegetables.

5. Proteins:

Proteins are necessary for tissue repair and for the construction of new tissue. Every cell needs protein to maintain its life. Protein is also the primary substance used to “replace” worn out or dead cells and helps construct collagen which keeps the skin lustrous and elastic. Foods rich in proteins include egg whites, fish, meat, and soy.